COURTESY PHOTO A pencil sketch by Hans Loffel.

Affordable art is accessible art

Jodi Endicott and Linda von Geldern, two of the women who run and own The Balcony Gallery in Kailua, treat their exhibit space like a home. Fellow artists and patrons mingle, sit and gossip, and when a newcomer walks in, Endicott and von Geldern welcome them warmly.

The layout of the place literally looks as though it was at one time meant for residency; there are what look like bedrooms (with closets), a bathroom and even a kitchen.

One of the bedroom spaces is designated to exhibit Endicott's work, and the walls and furniture -- a comfy pastel couch and pastel cube block table -- nicely compliment her works.

A shelf houses glass and other 3-D work made by various local artists, which the women say are mostly affordable for the average person.

This idea of affordable art is important to Endicott and von Geldern, and it's one of the reasons for the gallery's latest exhibit, "Out of the Sketchbook," which runs through Jan. 5.

Some 40 artists contributed mostly sketchbook-sized works, both 2D and 3D, that are hung whimsically on string with paper clips throughout the gallery.

Endicott and von Geldern said some artists in the show normally work on big canvases, which makes their pieces prohibitive in cost for everyday folk. The women are hoping that showcasing works on a smaller scale will encourage people to purchase and display art in their homes. The works in the show are truly affordable, from $20 to $200.

And with 40 artists' works, there's something for everyone. Check it out.

The Balcony Gallery is at 442-A Uluniu St. Call 263-4434.

COURTESY PHOTO Debbie Pacheco's vibrant watercolor, above, demonstrates some of the range of "sketches" in "Out of the Sketchbook," showing at The Balcony Gallery through Jan. 5.

COURTESY PHOTO A photograph by Rujunko Pugh.

COURTESY PHOTO Elsha Bonnert's humorous colored pencil sketch.

COURTESY PHOTO A Dorothy Faison watercolor.

COURTESY PHOTO Jodi Endicott sketched in pencil.

COURTESY PHOTO Gaye Chan employed a rare technique, pyrography, for her piece, above.